Joni

I guess there was no one better to tell the story of Joni Earacksen Tada than herself. So like Audie Murphy got to play himself in his autobiographical film, Ms. Tada gets to do her own story.

In 1967 Ms. Tada while diving smacked into a platform abd sustained a broken neck. She became a quadriplegic and learned to function that way. She was an equestrian before that accident, but learned to develop another talent while being paralyzed. You'll have to watch the film to see what it is.

Joni Eareckson Tada is a fine teller of her own story. Joni is a film for more than church basements.

This movie was made very uniquely...in that Joni Earickson played herself (while she was paralysed, as you might guess).

Her two autobiographies (she has written other books also) are "Joni" and "Choices, Changes". The first bis what the movie is based on, the second is about her time making the movie and meeting her now-husband of 15+ years.

The movie shows Joni jump into a lake, then brake her neck. It follows her struggles with being sorry for herself and her rise to become an internationally renowned speaker. She also is a strong Christian. Her faith acts as a thread, tying her struggles and triumphs together.

If you want drama, you've got it. Suspense, you've got it.

Romance? - here it is

Directed with heart and a taste for what real living is....

you've read Jonathan's take, On

JONI!!!

I some times wish I had Joni's health, because life is all about expectations and she exceeds the expectations of all of those around her and fortunately her own (after an adjustment period).

What is critical is that (according to this story) she has full support from friends and family. I promise you this is often not the case. Often what happens is the lay person has their own expectations based on naiveté. In my case, my drive to restore function to my permanent injuries only makes my family wonder why I can't get double the results. You see my point? Their expectations are always going to be more than what I achieve. My drive and hard work to them only proved that it was not so bad in the first place. I am not not all people are like that but I fear that most are. I try to speak out for others that are treated unfairly and it is too humiliating to defend my own strengths. I have been considering a book for my story but my humble sense of self makes me prefer to point to Joni's story as a triumph. My story would sound like an attack on my family but they are probably just typical. Joni is sensational and I can see that without her family there for her in the first years the story would have been 10,000 times more tragic.

Please consider watching and or reading this if anyone in your family suffers any permanent disability.

I absolutely loved watching this even though I'm not a fan of 80's movies in general.

This movie tugs on your heart like 3-pound nylon and a bonefish lure. Every girl I knew in 1980 owned the 'Joni' book. My favorite part is when Joni draws with the pen in her mouth. In conclusion, I like pens.